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Engraved whale tooth scrimshaw of fine workmanship datable around 1850

About the Item

Scrimshaw of an engraved whale tooth, fine workmanship datable to around mid-19th century, length 11.7 cm, depicting whaler with men aboard, boat rowing with 6 whalers one of them in act of harpooning a whale and three whales. On back of the tooth is depicted elegant female figure, elegantly dressed in refined and finely decorated clothing, sitting with a closed book on her lap and looking somberly toward the horizon. Below framed by a beautiful cartouche is the woman's name ROSEMARY. A beautiful frame of leaves and flowers encloses at the top the tooth. Good state. Measures 11.7x4x.3- inches 4.6x1.6x1.2. The last one is the gift box. The word "scrimshaw" refers to an art form (and the various products of this art) that developed aboard American whaling ships between 1745 and 1759 as a means of entertainment to occupy time during the long hours aboard; this art form consisted of a process of carving and engraving whale bones and teeth, with which a wide range of both everyday and ornamental objects were made, which were usually made as souvenirs for members of one's family. Nella scelta dei materiali il primo era sicuramente il dente d'avorio del capodoglio. Solo la punta del dente era liscia ed era necessario preparare il resto della superficie ruvida lucidandola. Il dente era ben immerso in acqua salata o calda, spesso con l'aggiunta di potassio. Quindi veniva utilizzata una lima per strofinare e arrotondare la superficie, e infine una carta vetrata fine per completare il processo. L'ultima fase della lucidatura veniva eseguita con pomice o cenere e poi il dente veniva strofinato ancora con il palmo della mano. Each step had to be performed very slowly so as not to affect the smooth surface of the tooth. In terms of subjects for scrimshandering, the most common were a drawing of a ship or scenes of cetacean capture, made with a needle or knife, or an appropriate blade: for example, thanks to Herman Melville we know that some whalers had boxes of dentist's tools specially designed for scrimshandering. The origin of scrimshandering, as the whalers called it, i.e., the art of making scrimshaw, is a mystery: theories range from locating its origin in Eskimo culture or with Native Americans to emphasizing the influence of South Sea islanders. La spiegazione di Edouard A. Stackpole (1903 -1993), giornalista americano, scrittore e storico di caccia alle balene, è forse la più plausibile: lo scrimshaw sarebbe stato semplicemente lo sviluppo marittimo dell'antica arte di intagliare l'avorio, così come era stata praticata per secoli, e in quanto forma d'arte popolare non sarebbe stato altro che un adattamento da parte dei balenieri americani di un antico mestiere.

Dimensions:

Height: 1.6 in (4.07 cm)Diameter: 4.6 in (11.69 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Teeth

Period:

1850-1859

Date of Manufacture:

1850

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use.

Seller Location:

Milan, IT